The turf on the Woodhaven High School isn’t new to Varsity Head Football Coach Michael Pintar. In fact, it’s a place that he’s set foot on for over 20 years - first as a player, but second as a coach. And finally, now as the Head Coach of the Warrior Football program.
“As a football guy, it's a dream come true,” Pintar said. “I don’t want to coach anywhere else, this is where I want to be.”
A 2005 graduate of Woodhaven High School, Pintar played when there was a new head coach coming to Woodhaven during his sophomore season - current Athletic Director Keith Christnagel.
“We won four games in my career at WHS; my sophomore year, we got a brand new coach, Keith Christnagel, and we had 19 guys on the team. It was a tough league (formerly the Mega Red), with a tough schedule. Football was still ‘it’ as the biggest sport, we just didn’t have the turn out.”
But then the rosters grew every year and finally in 2007 the team made the first playoff run, and the team has been on the rise ever since.
A graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Pintar started coaching in 2012 with the Woodhaven High School football program, the same year he began as a teacher in the Woodhaven-Brownstown School District. Pintar has taught physical education at Bates Elementary, Brownstown Middle School, former Patrick Henry Middle School, and finally now at Woodhaven High School.
Coach Pintar credits Coach Christnagel as not only the person who changed the culture in the program in 2002, but also as the right guy to grow and lead the program. He’s also been a mentor to him throughout the years.
“Keith is one of my mentors,” Pintar said. “He drew me to coaching. I respect Keith so much. He’s like a second father to me, the respect I have for that man is immeasurable.”
“Coach Pintar represents everything you want leading your program,” Christnagel said. “He’s spent the past 12 years investing in our student-athletes as an assistant coach and the last three years helping build the program as our strength coordinator. As a Woodhaven teacher and a proud 2005 graduate who once wore the uniform himself, he understands the tradition here and is committed to developing young men both on and off the field.”
One thing that Pintar said is unique about him is the relationships he’s had with his student athletes over the years. Now in his 13th year of teaching, he said that some of the students he has worked with over the past year were students whom he taught as kindergarten students when he was at Bates Elementary.
“I’ve known some of these kids since kindergarten, so some of the relationships I’ve built with these kids have been incredible,” he said. “I coach football for these boys. I love the game - yes - but building relationships is paramount to me. I want to make these kids better football players and better young men as well.
Additionally, Pintar looks forward to working with the coaching staff at the middle school and little league levels, many of whom he has worked with over the years teaching and coaching in the district. Pintar has coached at almost every position during his tenure with the program, and as of last year was the defensive coordinator of the program. Personally, he has played on both sides of the ball as a player as well.
Student athletes can expect some changes from Day 1, which starts now, according to Pintar - getting student-athletes acclimated to the changes that come with a new head coach of the program.
“The offense and rules and standards will change,” he said. “Accountability - for everyone - is something we can get better at. Those expectations come with playing football, and everyone will meet that expectation. This is who we are gonna be, and it starts now.”
Pintar added that he is grateful for the support of his family, wife Jillian and two daughters Cassia and Clara who allow him to devote so much time to the program.